It was a golden effort by five local girls who travelled to Alberta for an inaugural hockey tournament and came home top of the pack.
The Ontario ProHockey team went to Edmonton to represent the province at the 'War for the Roses' tournament on the rink at the West Edmonton Mall.
The event was held Aug. 14-19 as teams from Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta faced off for bragging rights and first place.
Caley Severn’s 13-year-old daughter, Mae, was a centre for the Ontario team and the mom said it was a proud moment for both the families and players.
“The tournament for the boys that is held out there is quite a big deal. There are pictures of players who have played in past tournaments and underlined are the ones who made it to the NHL,” Severn told BarrieToday. “It was really great to see them focus on a girls' event now.”
Thirteen-year-olds Mae Severn (Midhurst), Keira Owen (Barrie), Kate Stuart (Wasaga Beach) and Willow Davidson (Bracebridge), along with 12-year-old Renee Lapointe (Snow Valley), are all players in the Barrie Sharks system and helped lead the team of players from all over Ontario.
Caley Severn says it was a big deal out there as the rink is in the middle of the West Edmonton Mall and would have not just families watching their kids, but shoppers and those passing by.
As a push to make girls sports more popular in the mainstream gained momentum after the Team Canada soccer gold at the Olympics, Severn believes more needs to be done to promote female sports.
“I think there has been progress made, but I think there is a long way still to go,” she said. “For instance, if you were player of the game in the girls event, you received a plaque, which is appreciated. But at the boys event last year, which runs at the same time, they would get an iPad.
“Again, it is great to receive anything, but you can see the difference that still exists.”
With the War of the Roses having been the first event of its kind, Severn says she's “positive that things are changing and that is great news for girl athletes.”
The Barrie Sharks tryouts begin next week and more information can be found at their website by clicking here.
